Topics - Kwertee

Now, I just want to get this straight because the way it is written here is strange to me.

From the LSAC registration booklet:

Failing GradesAny grade notation that signifies failure(such as No Credit, No Credit/Fail, NotPassing, Incomplete/Fail, Withdraw/Fail,Unsatisfactory, Fail, etc.) is converted to zeroon the 4.0 scale and is included in the calculationof the GPA, even if the issuing schoolconsiders the grade to be nonpunitive. Failureis defined as credit attempted, but notearned. If a transcript is not clear aboutcredit attempted, LSAC staff will contact theregistrar at the issuing school to confirmwhether course credit was attempted. Incompleteand Withdraw grades consideredpunitive by the issuing school will beincluded in the conversion. The onlyexception to this policy is for No Credit,Withdraw/Fail, repeated courses, andincomplete grades specifically explainedunder the “Grades Excluded fromConversion” section, page 23.

Grades Excluded from ConversionWithdrawal grades that signify failure(such as WF=Withdraw/Fail, WU=WithdrewUnsatisfactory, WNP=Withdrew Not Passing)if the issuing school considers the gradenonpunitive. The total number of creditsassigned to these grades will appear on theapplicant’s LSDAS summary, but will not beincluded in the GPA calculation.

Now, I have a WF that does not affect my GPA at my school. If I am reading this right, it should not affect my LSDAS GPA either, should it?

Is it wrong that I don't really even want to apply to any ivy league schools because they all dinged me in undergraduate admissions? I was a model applicant: saluditorian of a class of 500, 1550 SAT score (M:790 V:760), 800 SAT2 Math, 780 SAT2 Physics, 5's on lots of AP tests, National Merit Scholar, tennis and track team, teen court, National Honors society, awesome recs . . . . I got into zero ivy league colleges, and it tore me up for a long time. I fell apart early in college because I thought all of this grade and test bull was worthless; it did nothing for me.

I had an internship for a year that I would like to put on my applications, but it did not end well due to a conflict with my mentor. I was wondering if law school adcoms look into these internships to the extent that they would find this bad blood. I just called the current director of the program to find out if there are any black marks against me, but there is nobody there over the summer. Just looking for some advice. I'll leave the internship off if I need to, but it's one of my only examples of work experience.

Ok, like most people here, I want to tell you my numbers and allow you to tell me where to apply. However, I want to tell you other pertinent information as well so I can obtain more accurate advice.

I graduated from the University of Arizona in August '03 with one B.S. in Mathematics and Computer Science (those are two separate majors) and a second B.S. in Psychology. I got these two degrees simultaneously. My final GPA was a 3.33/4.00. After throwing out some grade replacements and throwing in some community college classes from high school, I believe my LSDAS UGPA will remain at 3.33. Now, I have mostly A's, but there are a few E's (four I believe) that bring down my GPA. I also have quite a few W's, including an entire semester that I withdrew from halfway through. This was because of a family health problem: my older brother OD'ed on heroin, and he went into rehab and was in my care for six months.

Another caveat is that I started school in Fall '97, so I was there for six years. Yes, I have two degrees and three majors, but that just seems to show how unfocussed I was. Actually, I only decided on law school eight months ago. I have spent the last year checking out grad programs in mathematics and various computer jobs before a counsellor suggested law school. In the past year, I took some graduate level math courses and upper division economics courses. My GGPA is a 4.0, but I have no grad degree and those grades don't really count.

I took the LSAT in June '04 and scored a 177; that is in the 99.8th percentile. There isn't much more to say about that.

I have no real work experience. I went to college on a full ride, and my mom rather I didn't work while going to school. I did work a summer in retail, a bookstore . . . yeah, I know, nothing. My extra-curriculars are sparse as well. I was secretary of my residence hall for one year. I worked in an optics lab for seven months on a NASA grant. I was a teaching assistant for an entry level mathematics course for one year. That's. pretty. much. it.

My letters of recommendation are weak in my opinion. Right now, I have one from a teacher I had for two classes last year (two A's, and a small class size). My other is from the teacher I assisted in that math class for a year, but I didn't have him in an academic capacity. I can also scrape up one from an upper-division psychology course that can attest to my writing and research ability. However, it would be from a prof to whom I'm fairly faceless.

As far as my personal statement, I'm sure I can whip up one that is at least slightly above average, but it is not about to blow anyone's mind.

I do not care where I go to school if it is to a nationally recognized school. If it is to a regional school, however, I lean heavily toward California, but I do have an open mind.

Finally, I don't know if it should be mentioned in my application anywhere that my father died two weeks before I started college, and it tore my family up pretty badly. I have a brother that I haven't talked to in seven years, and my other brother is . . . well frankly, he's a junkie. My first three years of school involved driving home almost every weekend (six hour drive) because I was afraid for my mom; she wasn't doing well mentally or physically. I am not trying to pander to emotions, just trying to report possibly relevant information about myself. This situation did hurt my GPA, but I accept personal responsibility for that as well. Sometimes I was just kind of lazy, and I skipped my fair share of classes to sleep in.

I have a problem that I was wondering if I could get some help with. I have two Bachelor's Degrees: a B.S. in Mathematics and Computer Science (2 different majors) and a second B.S. in Psychology. I obtained these simultaneously in August 2003. When I try to register for LSDAS, I can only seem to report one of these degrees. It will let me list more schools or graduate degrees, but I can't seem to register my second degree. I obviously want it listed if possible, as having 2 degrees is the reason why I was an undergrad for 6 years. Any help would be great, thanks.

Hello all. I've been a lurker for about 6 months, and I'm coming out to ask a question. I was planning on taking a near simulation of the test today with exp. section and all, and I was wondering how long there will be between sections tomorrow. Is there 5 minutes or so, or do we go right from one to another? And also, how long is the break between Sections 3 and 4?

Hello all! I had some questions about this whole LSDAS and GPA thing. Will this count community college classes from when I was in high school? Will this count classes I have taken since graduation at both the graduate and undergraduate level?

I am currently a graduate student in Mathematics who has decided to change directions to law school. I had a 3.33 UGPA at graduation which is now up to 3.40 from a few classes that I took. I also have a 4.0 GGPA (with only 3 classes). I basically want to know if my coursework from after graduation counts for anything. Thanks.